Can't Put This in the Past
by Syl Evanesco
Summary: I don't really like summaries, so this is short. Pretty much a different spin on tree hill with a new character. Read and Review
1. Chapter 1

Thump Thump... Thump Thump...

The soft dribbling was no more than a distant flicker of a noise compared to the rain pounding steadily on the pavement.

One more shot, then he would be allowed in for diner.

It was crazy really. The kind of torment that athletes would put themselves through just to get better at the game. I never understood that. No matter how many times the concept was being drilled at me by the general of basketball, it just never seemed to want to stay implanted in my head.

And even though I had much better things to do than to toss a ball around, the game was a huge part of my life. I wasn't a cheerleader, wouldn't even dream of it, and I wasn't on the team. But every night I was sitting in the stands, cheering on my best friend who had been playing ever since he could pick up a basketball. The only thing that was worse than smelling the fried foods and sweat of the players was that, win or lose, I never got a decent chance to console my friend.

"Rain, would you do me a favor and tell Dan to bring Nathan out of the rain?" Asked the tall blonde woman from the kitchen.

I knew very well that she was, at least in her mind, busy with dinner, but I also knew that she didn't want to be the one to try and break down a good nights practice.

It never was Nathan that was disappointed in the long hours cut short in order to replenish his body. It was always Dan Scott that gave those cold, searching looks, that never showed anything other than pure determination. He was always looking for something to keep everyone away from his son, and even harder for ways to make people pay in full estimate if they messed up his life. And I, being the best friend of the teams star, got those looks far more than any teenage girl should have.

Even though it was only a short walk from my warm place next to the fireplace, to the front door, I still felt small in the house. I always did, with it's looming walls and hundreds of posed portraits.

The old door never seemed to want to be opened from the inside, and it certainly didn't help that the wind was practically pulling it closed when I tried pulling on the large metal handle. My face almost immediately was sprinkled with rain when the door finally gave in and allowed it 'self to be thrown back into the nook.

"Mr. Scott! Mrs. Scott says dinner is ready and wants Nathan to come in!" I had to scream to be heard over the rain and his orders at his son. I didn't move from the door way and waited for either one to actually acknowledge that they heard me, and it was only when one of the shadowed figures started moving into the light did a small warm feeling settle in the very pit of my stomach.

At least I could avoid that look for one more night. 

Once they were inside, I resumed my seat next to the fire with the previous nights history homework. It would only be a few minutes for both men to get dried off and into a change of clothes. Normally I would have been up in Nathan's room, helping him with homework, or talking about our relationship problems, but tonight wasn't one of those nights. Tonight was tense, and it was only due to our Wednesday night dinner traditions that I was there.

We hadn't gotten into a fight or anything, for if we had, we wouldn't even be in the same house as each other for at least a few weeks until someone's pride finally caved. Tonight's air of guilt and blame laid solely on the shoulders of his parents, and their actions spoke for themselves, setting everyone else in the house on pins and needles.

Dan Scott was the first down stairs, changed and already getting an early start on the evening drinks.

"Do your parents know how much time you spend over here?" He questioned, and normally I would have been insulted, it was comments like these that did drive me home for days without visiting. But that was years ago, now, it's merely a conversation starter Dans way.

"Our house is full, Nathan is an only child, he and Mrs. Scott need me more." I could hear myself smirk before I realized that I had one plastered on my face. It wasn't a total lie, I had one older brother and two younger sisters. Not to mention three dogs, two cats, two guini pigs, and four fish. I just loved using a different excuse to why I was always at his house.

At first when questions like those kept coming my way, I assumed that it was because they didn't like me. That they thought that I wasn't good enough to hang out with their son. Just because I wasn't part of the upper class, or got my clothes from designer names. But then Mrs. Scott, who has insisted time and time again to call her Deb, explained to me that they just thought that there was something more than just the friendship between us. I laughed openly at the idea.

She believes it now, even though it took her long enough to come to the conclusion that Nathan was dating Peyton, and I was still on the market as single. But Dan however is a different story. I still can't figure out if he thinks that Nathan and I are screwing around and if he's proud of it, or if he doesn't think that his son needs to be hanging out with friends with the game season being so close.

"You know basketball season is getting close." This man was way to predictable when it came to his son. "And Nathan is going to be needing to spend all his time on getting ready for games. I don't think it's such a great idea for you to be taking up all his time."

"I don't take up all his time. I do let him have breaks every now and then when he has to use the bathroom." Not once did I ever look up from my book. It was hard to make sarcastic remarks to a man that could with a single sentence, ruin you for life. And believe me, he was much less intimidating when you didn't hold eye contact with him.

"You think it's funny, but," He took a long drink from whatever his favorite alcoholic beverage was this week, "when he's off at a great university and you're still working a dead end job and going to community college, you're going to wish you had talent like his."

That's what he thinks. He has no idea what I do in my own free time, nor of the things that I'm good at. I was never stupid enough to share those details of my life with him in fear that out of spite, he would take those away from me.

"Dan will you quit railroading the girl." Scolded Deb, finally stepping out of the kitchen with nothing else left to do to the food. "Our son isn't the only one that has potential you know."

"Yeah dad," Nathan said, coming down the stairs, still drying off his hair with a towel. "There are more kids in the world, and you should know, you've fathered at least half of them."

A normal family conversation in the Scott household. I always felt bad because of my best friends father, yet I learned a long time ago to never say that too him. Accepting pity was apparently against the Scott code of living. I also learned that throwing my own opinion into the mix didn't help matters.

They bickered for a while, and when I say a while I mean just as Dan started to open his mouth, his wife quickly made up an excuse to get his help in the kitchen and away from a ticking time bomb.

So far, so good, no terrible looks that made me want to climb up to the top of an 18 story building and do a swan dive into a cement pool.

"Rain, I'm sorry about all that." He said, taking a seat in the chair across from the one I was seated in.

"Don't worry about it Nate."

"No, he shouldn't have -"

"Seriously, if you're going to apologize every time Dan insults someone, or makes someone feel bad, then you're going to have to give up basketball, sleeping, eating, and breathing, just to barely have enough time to compensate for everything."

"I'd give up the eating and breathing, but I'd die before I give up the game." He remarked, throwing a pillow at me as I started to pack away my books.

"Predictable and the rise and fall of the sun." I yawned slightly before throwing the pillow back at him and missing by a few inches, sending it flying into the wall behind his head.

"You're one to talk."

"I'm too tired to argue with you. Plus it is getting late and I promised dad that I'd be home on time tonight to feed my pets."

"You want me to drive you; it's getting pretty bad out there."

"No thanks. It's only a few miles; I think I can handle it."

"If you say so."

"I do." I shouldered my orange and black book bag as I stood up, stretching my arms above my head and playing with my keys. "Plus, I never can get much homework done over here."

"Too many distractions?"

"No, too few. It's so quiet around here. Anyways." I made my way to the door before he could make a comment and compare our different living situations. "I'll see you tomorrow, and don't forget to write your English paper. Failing a class gets up kicked off the team."

He nodded, and I wasn't sure if he heard me because I preached stuff like that too him on almost an hourly basis at school. "I will mother."

I was about to take him up on that mother remark, but my eyelids and drossy body made sure that I shut the door before I opened my big mouth.

I ran to my car, that was parked a good fifty feet away on the curb of the road instead of in the drive way. My car was by far the nicest thing that I owned. I worked at the local music store (Karmez) for months to save up to buy it from a local man, and even longer to pay for Keith, the owner of Keith's Auto Repair, to fix it to work as good as new. It was a ford mustang, black, and ran beautifully.

It handled like a dream, had an engine that roared when it was started, and had the speed of any new model sports car. I never let anyone else drive it, no matter how good of a friend they were or how much they needed too. I was possessive only over it when it came down to my worldly possessions.

Once inside I turned up the stereo slightly to keep me awake on the four mile drive to my house. I lived exactly six streets behind Nathan's house, and the farther back you got, the more normal the people seemed.

It took a while longer to reach my destination due to the massive amounts of water that was preventing me from seeing five feet in front of me, but when I did, it was a sight for sore eyes.

My room was located right above the garage, and I was still in the process of moving in since my older brother, Leo (19) just recently moved into the basement so that he could have more privacy until getting a place of his own. My two younger sisters, Harper (16) and Lily (14) shared a room beside my parents' master bedroom. The three of us had to share a bathroom while both my parents and Leo each got their own.

I parked my car in the garage and made a mental note to mention to Leo later that he still hadn't fixed the door so that it wouldn't make so much noise closing.

My bedroom was my sanctuary. It was the only place that was mine. The ceiling was in the shape of an A, only without the rafters in the center, and reminded me of an attic in more ways that just that. My bed, that was clad in a light blue blanket and many different color pillows, set beside the only window and against the far right wall. My desk, that was a home to my computer, television, cd player, and full of random contents was right across from my bed and beside my tall dresser. My closet was small and was placed right behind the door that entered my room, and leading up to both of those were three lone stairs with a small landing at the top. The walls were painted dark blue, and one was striped, navy blue, sky blue, white and black, and all of them had posters on them. My room was very unique to my taste. I was a girl, so some stuff was there for, girl like, but my taste in movies and music seemed to linger on the tougher side to the female gender and clashed horribly with the style that I had preferred. Horror movie posters, rock and metal posters, along with many Halloween items didn't get alone very well with my glass angel collection, or my porcelain dolls, and especially not with my favorite stuffed animals. But if you could describe my room in simple words, then it simply would not be my room. The only thing that could make it the slightest bit normal would be my mirror above my dresser and the top of it in general. All of which were covered in pictures of me, my family and my friends, but most importantly, my pets.

I didn't have time to change before the barking down stairs reminded me that I had chores to do before I could relax in the solitude of my room. But I didn't mind. It was days like these, when life seemed so much simpler and better than it hardly ever was, that I didn't mind being around people. I just wish that I had days like that more often.


	2. Chapter 2

"Rain honey! Do you have work today?" My mother called as I was dressing for school, not even bothering to knock as she came in the door.

"Yes mom. I already told you, Keller and I have to do inventory."

"So there's no way you can take your sisters to practice?"

"I doubt it. Mr. Karmez is literally psychotic about taking breaks. Get Leo to do it. I don't think he's doing anything today." I pulled my hair into a messy bun as I searched for my books.

"Oh that's right. Goodness, with him living down stairs I almost forget he's here." My mother frantically went downstairs to wake him up. My guess he wasn't going to be happy, I know very well he stayed up until 4am watching a movie marathon on the sci fi channel.

I didn't have time to eat breakfast, I normally never did, because I helped with the tutor center before school since I didn't have time afterwards. The only other tutor that I got along with was Hailey James, true, she was the best friend of Lucas Scott, which meant I had to hate him because of Nathan, but that didn't stop us from being friends.

It was really complicated because whenever one of the guys was around they wouldn't only get mad, but demanding and impatient if we were talking. Lucas always treated me like dirt because of Nathan. He seemed to think that I was just like him because I hung around him, and wasn't about to give me a chance. Where as Nathan just simply didn't even know Hailey existed and only talked to her to annoy Lucas. Some things never changed in a persons personality.

It was only a five minute drive to school, and it was nice getting there early, premium parking spots and beating the rush. Hailey was the only one there; her bike was already chained up on the bike rack. 

Well, teachers were there too of course, but some of them seemed to just live there so it didn't surprise me.

The tutor center was located in the middle of the school, just between the junior lockers and the guidance office. It was a small room, with more text books than any class room, and one small desk that was used by all the tutors, me, Hailey, and two others that never seemed to be around. A senior was one of them, who's name I didn't know, and a junior guy who I had met once, but couldn't remember his name.

"Morning Rain." Greeted Hailey from stacking books on the shelves.

"Morning Hales. Some storm last night."

"Tell me about it. I had to get Lucas to drive me home."

"How is Mr. Too Cool to Play Ball for School?"

"He's just confused, sorry about the way he treated you yesterday. He just assumes that you're like Nathan."

"Has he even met me?"

"I don't think so." She laughed and continued. "I just think it's funny that they're acting like this. I mean I know there's history there, but why keep cutting open old wounds."

"I know what you mean. Sometimes I just want to punch Nathan when he starts up on the subject."

"On a happier note, at least winter break is coming up quickly, and then maybe there will be a break from all this drama."

"One can only hope." I started helping her put all the books back on the shelves and straighten up the tables that were littered with papers and gum wrappers.

"Are you going to be able to stay after today?" She asked after a few minutes of silence.

"No, I have to work with Keller."

"That musician guy that graduated last year?"

"The one and only."

"Is he still treating you like a princess?" She asked sarcastically. She knew very well that Keller and I didn't get a long at all, and that it was only a miracle that we could work together.

"Like a queen. It's like we're still back in elementary school and he still wants to be the bully that pushes me off the swings."

"I remember days like that. Nathan always beat him up."

"And that is how I met my dear old best friend."

"It's funny isn't it? Both of our best friends we've had since the second grade, and both of our best friends hate each other. But Nathan still beats people up for you doesn't he?"

"He hasn't had to lately, but sometimes it just seems like he doesn't trust me to take care of myself."

"He's just protective, Lucas is the same way. He doesn't even like me to date guys."

"Isn't he the reason you've never had a boyfriend."

"Yeah, he always says they're not good enough. Plus I don't have the time."

"Same here, I've never even had a boyfriend before."

She laughed as though I was making a joke, but I didn't take it in offense.

"You're kidding right?" I shook my head. "But I thought you and that one guy, umm, Tim something or other were going out."

"Tim? Oh you mean that thing last year? Nope, Tim is just obsessed with girls, and I happened to be one of them last year, still creeps me out, but after I got Leo to 'talk' to him when he kept calling he's left me alone."

"I could have sworn you guys were dating."

"Nope, plus Tim's not my type."

"I don't think Tim is anyone's type."

Five more minutes passed by with us talking about Tim and the rest of the weird basketball players. It was quiet amusing and I was annoyed when the bell rang, signaling the start of homeroom.

I didn't have any classes with Hailey, only two with Nathan, and unfortunately four with Lucas. Gym just happened to be one I had with both guys.

I sat behind Nathan in the Health classroom and beside Brooke Davis. I had never really gotten to know her, but she always referred to me as 'it girl', whatever that meant.

"I see you survived driving last night." Said Nathan, drawing on his homework.

"You sound surprised. Secretly wishing me to die in a horrible car crash so you don't have to deal with me anymore?"

"Don't even joke about something like that Ray."

"Sorry." I said seeing the serious look on his face. I was about to say something else, but Whitey started calling attendance before the morning announcements came on.

Today was no different than any other day, we read a chapter in our health books, were assigned the end of the chapter questions, and then instructed to head to the locker rooms to change for gym. This week we were playing basketball.

There weren't many other girls in my class, most of them got it changed so that they have gym closer to the end of the day so that they can take their time in the showers and aren't rushed to get to more classes.

I changed quickly, I didn't like spending too much time in there listening to Brooke and her two other cheerleader friends talk about the gym uniforms like they did every morning.

We had 45 minutes to play basketball, and were divided up into four teams. My team, was against Nathan's team. Tim and Jake also happened to be on my team, but every time they'd give me the ball, Nathan would guard me and make fun of my sports skills.

"Come on Ray, I'm not even blocking you that badly." He mocked, but that badly to him was much different to me. I was much shorter than him and wasn't that great at any sport, especially basketball. I had no idea what to do and had to listen to Jake constantly who would politely help me unlike Tim.

"Rain just shoot the ball." Complained Tim as Nathan continued to prevent me from shooting or passing the ball.

"Nate please... If I don't at least make one shot Whitey is going to fail me." And it was true. Couch Whitey was tough, and wanted everyone to score at least three times before we could pass this week.

Nathan chuckled before stepping aside and letting me attempt to shoot it. But it did absolutely no good considering I didn't even hit the backboard.

I could honestly say I wasn't humiliated, I knew I played terrible and accepted it. Jake was the only one on my team who didn't yell at me when I missed something and made it slightly bearable when we lost to Nathan's team.

"Tim for the last time, leave her alone." Said Jake as we started walking back to the locker rooms.

"But she doesn't do anything, just flirts with Nathan!" He complained again.

"Ew, that's just gross Tim. Nathan's my friend, like a brother!" I said, pretending to be sick and at least getting a laugh out of Jake.

"Both of you aren't acting anywhere close to your age. Rain just won't admit that she's only another one of Nathan's one night stands." I turned on my heel to find Lucas, standing up straight from getting a drink out of the water fountain.

"What is your problem Lucas?" I asked, trying so hard to get ride of the images that were permanently implanted in my head.

"I just wish you'd stay with your crowd and stay away from my friends."

"Seriously Lucas, Hailey and I are friends, you need to accept that."

"Yeah, but if you and your group hurt her in anyway, I don't care if you're a girl, but it will come back twice as hard."

"He giving you problems Ray?" Asked Nathan, coming up behind me and glaring down at Lucas.

"No Nate, just come on, let's go." I started tugging on his arm, but he and Lucas had a few more seconds worth of glaring in them.

Nathan didn't say anything as Jake ushered him into the locker room, away from trouble, and same went for me as I took a quick shower and changed before English class.

I was glad I didn't have this class with anyone that would cause something, and was able to focus 100 on my poetry project that we were working on. We had to write 50 pieces, poems, short stories, and a multitude of other things that was due next week about a specific theme in our life.

Honestly, I hadn't even started on it. I was planning on to work on it at work, Mr. Karmez wasn't going to be there, and whatever Keller had to say about it I could deal with. 

The rest of my classes went better than Gym, at least no fights were close to breaking out. Lunch time was the best time of the day on a good day, but today I couldn't go to the tutor center. Lucas had invaded my territory to talk to Hailey and I didn't want to intrude. Nathan had a different lunch so I was stuck eating by myself while trying to figure out what I was supposed to do for that stupid project.

"Hey Ray."

"Go away Tim I'm busy."

"Someone is moody."

"Someone is busy." I said, not even looking up at him as I continued to flip through my English book.

"Listen Ray, I just had a question."

"And I have an answer."

"I know we got off to a rough start last year but would you -"

"No Tim."

"You didn't even let me finish."

"Listen Tim, you're a jackass, we've established that. Now there's a nice red headed bimbo over there that looks like she hasn't gotten laid in a while -"

I didn't even finish what I was saying because he saw who I was pointing at and had already left. Guys like him were way to predictable. I was probably the third girl he'd asked out today alone, poor Tim, well, almost poor Tim. If he would quit making those comments about me then I might actually talk to him once and a while without being rude, but then again, it was only Tim.

I sighed and looked at the clock, I wasn't looking forward to work tonight, personally, I'd rather be stuck in school for twenty four hours, but I only had three until hell was coming my way.

This was the absolute worst part of my job, inventory. And what made matters worse was the person that I had to do it with, Keller. He was just an annoyance in general, and was running late, something that was usually never like him.

I couldn't start without him because he was the assistant manager and had the key to the office where everything was kept. So I ended up just turning on the radio in the front of the store, sat on the check out desk and sang along with the music while starting to work on my project.

I had decided to do my project on high school, there was plenty to write about with it. I couldn't draw to save my life, so I would have to resort to getting pictures from my photo albums to describe my poems and such.

The song Since You Been Gone came on and I started full out singing along with it, not paying a bit of attention to anything else and just tapping my pen on my almost completed poem.

Here's the thing

We started out friends

It was cool but it was all pretend

Yeah yeah

Since you been gone

You dedicated

You took the time

Wasn't long till I called you mine.

"Whoa, who knew that Riddle here could sing."

I screamed and nearly fell off the counter when I heard another voice in my ear, dropping all my papers on the floor.

"Keller I swear!"

"I was paying you a compliment about your voice."

"I'm sure you where."

"Please Riddle, music is something I don't joke about." He smirked before opening the office to get out the sheets of inventory.

"What took you so long to get here?"

"Just business."

"Business? You practically live here."

"Ok, let me rephrase, none of your business."

"Whatever you say, let's just get this over with."

"Why, have some place to be?"

"No, just don't want to stay here all night. Again." I huffed, picking up everything off the floor and shoving it back into my bag.

The store was of course closed so that we could get the work done faster. A great idea that Mr. Karmez had after the last time we remained open, it took us until 2 in the morning to get everything done because it seemed that day, everyone in Tree Hill just had to get a cd.

"Here, take this." He said, handing me the clip board and leading me over to the country cds. "Write down whatever I tell you."

"I've done this before you know." I said, chewing slightly on the end of my pen while waiting him to look through the first second of cds. First shift had to organize them so that we didn't have to hunt through everything to take inventory.

Three hours passed without us saying anything unnecessary to each other, which was more than surprising. Normally we couldn't go five minutes without fighting about something.

When the buzzer sounded from the front door I was forced to come back to reality and get up off the floor.

Nathan was standing at the door with a brown paper bag in his hand.

"Riddle this isn't the time for social calls." Complained Keller, still counting the Taylor Swift cds near the end of the country table.

"Jealous much." I replied before opening the door for my friend. "What are you doing here?" I asked politely.

"You said you had to do inventory, so I figured I'd bring you some dinner." He said, holding up the paper bag.

"Thanks so much, I was just about to die of starvation." I said, gladly accepting to present. "But I don't have much time to talk. The slave driver will go crazy."

"That's fine, I'm just on my way home."

"Ok, well I'll see you tomorrow?"

"You bet."

I closed and locked the door again behind him before going back to my seat on the floor beside Keller.

"Boyfriend bring you a special treat?" He mocked.

"No, my friend brought me dinner." I said pulling out the burger and fries. I heard his stomach growl involuntarily. "Have you eaten anything today?"

"Nope, been busy." He was trying to ignore me, it was obvious.

"Here," I said, handing him the fries.

"That's your food."

"Chris I'm trying to be nice here so just take it." I argued, quiet aggravated that he was taking a tone with me. I pushed them at him and after giving me a weird look he took them.

"Thanks."

"No problem, I just don't want you falling asleep when we have work to do."

"I doubt that'll happen." He smirked again.

Those smirks are what made me want to slap his face. He gave them to me so often I was half way surprised that his face wasn't stuck like that.

More silence while we ate and continued to do our job. It was getting annoying having all the silence. I was actually almost missing the cocky Keller that I had to put up with.

"What's with you today?" I asked after another hour of no insults or attempts of communication.

"Nothing."

"Nothing? You have yet to say anything the entire time. Normally you can't seem to focus on work, let alone be quiet for hours."

"What do you care Riddle?" He snapped and it took me back.

"I, uh," I honestly didn't have an answer to why I asked. I don't think I cared, "Just curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat."

"But satisfaction brought him back." I replied, and I doubt he was expecting a come back after that due to the look on his face.

"Where on earth did you hear that?"

I racked my brain but I honestly couldn't remember.

"Don't know, just much have picked it up somewhere."

"You know the weirdest things."

"I know you don't I?"

"That was your worst one yet Riddle, I think you're losing your touch."

"Eh, what can I say, my hearts just not in it tonight."

"And where might it be then?" He asked casually, this night was just so weird between us I just couldn't even think straight.

"On my English project. It's due next week and I've barely even started." I sighed, writing down more stuff on the clip board.

"You? Aren't you in the tutor center? Miss perfect grades?"

"I get good grades, and yes I am, but it took me forever to figure this out on what I wanted to write about."

"Just do it this weekend."

"Can't."

"And why not?"

"The Scotts are having their annual pre season party and I have to be there for Nathan."

"What are you his babysitter now?"

"No, these things are just really dull and I have yet to miss one, plus, free booze." I said grinning.

"You drink?"

"On occasion. Well, on those types of nights, but not to much, I have a low tolerance."

"Most women do."

"So? I'm not into the party scene, big deal."

"So why go, other than to be with dear all star Scott?"

"You know, I really don't know. It's tradition I guess."

"Skip it."

"I can't do that, I already promised him and his mother that I'd be there."

"Break it."

"I don't break my promises."

"Well then work on it now." I opened my mouth to argue when I realized that he hadn't said anything contradicting my character.

"What?"

"Work on it now, I can finish up."

"You can't be serious, we're not even half way done."

"So."

"You're seriously offering to do the rest of the work? Why being so nice?"

He avoided my eyes." I just don't want to hear you complain for a week if you fail, that's all. Nothing personal so don't take it that way."

I was slightly disappointed in his answer and I couldn't explain why. I didn't respond, but went back over to the counter, leaving the clip board behind, and started to work on my poems.

I turned on the radio again, the silence was unbearable and unnerving. I was sure that I could get at least a fourth of it done tonight if I worked without stopping. Starting with the fear of freshman year and the bully's that made it worse cough cough Keller.

In fact, he was in at least half of the first few poems I wrote, not by name of course, but that first year I was there he was a junior, and even though we didn't see each other at all, he still took every chance he got to tease me. Some were about my best friend, how he was the only one I had until I met Hailey at the end of the year when I joined the tutoring group. And still there was Keller, he had been forced to take tutoring so I couldn't even escape him there. Luckily though I didn't have to be the one to try and cram facts into his music filled brain.

I even wrote about how I didn't have a click to fit in with. I wasn't athletic, so I didn't go good with cheerleaders and volleyball players. I wasn't a geek, half the time I didn't even pay attention in class and was busy writing lyrics. I wasn't a band dork, I was hopeless at playing instruments. And my parents didn't think chorus was worth my time. I wasn't a Goth, so I didn't even fit in with the misfits. I was just simply a strange kid.

And I wrote, about the misery, about the pain, the heartache and sadness about high school. I wrote about the drama and confusion that every single day brought upon unsuspecting teenagers, and about the endless amounts of expectations that our teachers and parents held us too.

I completed eleven poems before sleep finally got the better of me. It was already dark outside and a slow song was playing on the speakers, very tempting to set my head down on top of my notebooks and take just a five minute nap.

I was in that nice place that you were in just before you were about to enter a deep sleep and didn't want to move even though someone kept calling my name.

"Riddle, wake up." Someone kept poking my shoulder, but I just groaned and smacked their hand away.

"Rain, unless you want me to lock you in here all night you'd better get up."

I slowly opened one eye. All the lights were off except for the one behind the counter and all the cds and stuff were back on their shelves.

"What?"

"I'm done, it's time to go."

"Huh? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You looked tired, and believe it or not, I have a heart."

I didn't reply, instead I started shoving all my stuff into my bag, ignoring him staring at me, waiting on me to get everything together so he could lock up. I waited on him to lock the front and only door, my car was parked around back and at almost midnight, I didn't feel safe walking back there alone.

Tree Hill may be a small town, but even small towns have creeps and guys who like to wait for girls to walk down dark streets by themselves.

"What are you waiting for?" He asked, shoving his keys back into his pocket.

"Nothing, I just don't want to walk back there by myself."

"Aww, scared of the big bad darkness?"

"No, scared of what happens in the dark."

"And you think I'd protect you?"

"I was hoping, after all, you just said you had a heart." I said, using his own words against him as we started walking around the store.

"How mad would you get if I left you here?" He asked after we were only half way down the street.

"Please don't. Besides, you're going the same way I am."

"I could always run ahead."

I held up my hands.

"Ok, what is with you tonight?"

"What do you mean?"

"First you ignore me, then it's back to normal, then you let me sleep, which isn't like you, and now you're basically making fun of me because I'm scared. Would you make up your mind."

"Hmm." He said, trying to seem like he was seriously thinking. "Maybe I just like messing with your mind."

"Well my mind doesn't like it."

"Ah, but that is entirely the point."

"Whatever." I grumbled, taking a few longer strides so that I was walking farther ahead of him, only by a few steps though.

It only took a few more minutes to reach our vehicles, my car and his jeep, were parked at the far end of the parking lot. I didn't say anything to him as I got into my car, I was probably more annoyed with him now than I had been in a while.

Deep down, and I mean deep down, I was glad he didn't make me walk all this way by myself. Maybe, just maybe he's finally maturing, but wait. This is Keller we're talking about. I sighed again, getting on the road and heading home, thankful that I could finally get some sleep in my own warm bed.


	3. Chapter 3

"Rain! I swear if you don't stay still I'm going to pull your hair out!" Cried my sister Harper, all day she had been trying to get me ready for the pre season party that started in less than two hours.

"I don't like this, can't I just wear a ponytail?" I pleaded, giving her the puppy dog face.

"You have no idea how lucky you are to go to these things, you have to at least look decent." He huffed, still pinning my curled hair into a tight bun on the top of my head. "And maybe if you didn't have such thick hair it wouldn't be as painful."

"No my fault, and you're already dressing me up like a wanna be Barbie." I scowled at the dress, and who wouldn't? Well, who like me wouldn't. I hated dressing up, I hated dances, I hated parties, and I hated dresses and heels, both of which Harper was making me wear.

"That dress goes with your eyes and skin beautifully, now sit still." She smacked the side of my head, making me stop squirming.

She gently pulled out a few curls so that they hung in my face and then put these silver butterfly pins in my hair. But once she announced she was done, she didn't even give me time to breathe before shoving the dress in my hand and ordering me to get dressed.

The heels were silver and I couldn't walk in them so I made the plan to put them on when I got there, ignoring Harpers advice to wear them now and let my feet get numb so they don't hurt.

I didn't wear that much makeup, I hated the stuff and always found a way to mess it up anyways so why bother?

"Whoa, you look like a girl?" I ignored my brothers comment as he came barging in my room.

"I am one Leo."

"Yeah, but you never dress like one."

"That's cause all this stuff is uncomfortable! And you'd better leave before I go into details."

"Please don't." He said, quickly leaving my room and on his way to bug Harper.

I finally found my black slippers that looked like ballerina shoes, grabbed my keys and was ready to go. I had to leave early because I had to go by Karmez to pick up my check and it was on the opposite side of town than the Scotts house.

I was able to slip out of the house without much contact without anyone other than my pets, and into my car quietly. It took fifteen minutes to get from my house to Karmez, and half and hour to get from there to Nathan's house. I just hope all that over time I put in last week was worth it.

I didn't bother parking in the back parking lot, and just pulled up in front of the store, Keller was working again.

He was standing behind the counter, flipping through receipts and didn't even notice me coming in.

"Hey Keller, did my check come in?" I asked, leaning on the counter and picking up a magazine that wasn't there last night.

"What, yeah? What are you wearing?" He exclaimed finally actually looking at me.

"It's called a dress."

"I knew those parties were fancy, but I never thought I'd see the day when you'd dress like that."

"I'm a girl, it's natural."

"Not for you. I've never even seen you wear makeup before." He said, opening up a drawer and pulling out an envelope with my name on it.

"I wouldn't have even thought you would notice something like that."

"I'm not as shallow as you think."

"Uh huh. Well thanks, I guess I'll see you Monday after school."

"If you're lucky."

Stupid cocky jerk. I left without arguing, I really didn't want to be late and have to talk to everyone and explain why I wasn't there on time.

"Why miss Riddle, surprised you could make it." Mr. Scott greeted me at the door, holding another glass of something alcoholic, I couldn't really tell what though.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." He could tell my enthusiasm was fake, but other wise ignored it and welcomed in Tim and his parents that were right behind me.

"Nathan!" I called, seeing my friend with Jake and Kevin, another basketball player.

"Ray, you actually came again."

"Every year you sound so surprised."

"I just figure one day you're going to get sick of dressing up. You look nice by the way."

"Thanks, you don't look so bad yourself, same goes to you guys."

Jake smiled, but Kevin just ignored me, I knew he didn't like me, but honestly, it didn't bother me. He just thought I was a fake, a poser in some ways. But yet again, whenever something like that started up, Nathan always set them straight.

"Whoa man, look who's here." Said Kevin, pointing over to the door.

"What made him want to come?" Asked Nathan, referring to Lucas, his mother and uncle that just walked in.

Then Peyton walked in the room and it was obvious. Peyton and I never really talked, never really had a reason too. Sure she had dating Nathan, but he never was with both of us at the same time, with her, it was sex, with me, we talked a lot.

"Nate?"

"hmm?"

"Please don't start anything with him tonight." It was more of a request than a demand, if he really didn't want to listen than he wouldn't.

"If he starts anything then I'm finishing it, plain and simple."

"I guess that's good enough."

After that I sulked back to the bar and took a bottle of vodka when the bartender wasn't looking and headed up to Nathan's room.

I didn't intend to drink it, I was driving, but having it just in case made me feel better.

Brooke on the other hand was already tipsy and gathered everyone up, either to make an ass of herself, or to show herself off. I don't know, I didn't follow her, instead I pulled a book out of my purse, found a comfortable chair and started to read.

It hadn't been more than a few minutes when I was interrupted.

"That bored already?" It was Nathan, well who else would it be, I was in his room.

"Just don't feel like mingling."

"It hasn't even been an hour yet an you're already sneaking booze and books?"

"I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night."

"Did Keller do something?"

"No, nothing like that."

"Ok, well I'm going back downstairs, you wanna join me?"

"No thanks, I think I'll just stay up here for a little while."

"Ok, but I'm taking this," He said, taking the bottle and leaving the room, not giving me a chance to explain everything.

I stayed in his room, ignoring the music and voices from down stairs, just something about tonight, I wasn't in the mood to be around people. A little more than an hour later, around 9pm, I decided it was time I started to head home.

I had made it out, after saying goodbye to Jake and Nathan, using the excuse that I had a headache, when I ran into Hailey.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, putting my keys on my finger and taking off my heels once outside the house.

"It's a long story. Are you leaving?"

"Yeah, bad headache."

"No wonder, how many pins do you have in your hair?"

"Couple thousand maybe, who knows."

"How did work go last night?"

"Confusing, I don't understand guys one bit."

"Keller is a jerk, always has been."

"No, it's not that, he was being weird, like nice weird a few times last night, and then went into jerk mode."

"Doesn't sound like him. Are you sure he wasn't sick or something?"

"Dunno, it's just eating away at me you know, like there's something else going on."

"I know what you mean."

"Anyways, it was good to run into you and see a friendly face, but I've got to get home."

"Ok, I guess I'll see you Monday."

"Bright and early."

I gave her a smile before we headed out different directions, her back into the house, and me to my car.

I pulled out all the pins before I started my car, they were killing me, not to mention this dress was constricting. I made a mental note to kill Harper once I got home if she wasn't already asleep.

All the lights except for the living room lamp were off when I got home. That only meant one thing.

"I didn't drink anything mom." I said as soon as I closed the door behind me, she knew I sometimes did, and worried, all mothers did I guess.

"Ok, I just don't like when you get mixed up with those people."

"Mom, I'm not an alcoholic, and even when I do drink I never drive."

"I know sweetie, but how was the party?"

"Boring, stuffy old rich people."

"Well you might want to get some sleep, we have church tomorrow, remember?"

"Yes mama, night." I called after getting a large glass of water and headed to my room.

What a night, I hated these things, they weren't my style and sometimes made me do things that I normally wouldn't do.


	4. Chapter 4

Monday morning, game morning, test morning, and the morning before the annual boat burning ceremony. Today was going to be hectic, not to mention, I had to work.

Nathan didn't talk to me all morning, still mad that yesterday I had to inform him that I wouldn't be able to make it to the first game of the season. He wanted me to get my priorities straight and stop working so much.

Hailey didn't talk to me much either, there was too much drama between her, Nathan, and Lucas and she was just pre occupied. I didn't get the whole story from her, but she promised to inform me of everything tonight when I came in for coffee on my break.

Even Lucas and Tim were ignoring me. Lucas' reason though was that he thought they were giving him a hard time for joining the team because he was a jerk to me. And Tim's reason, was because I tried talking to Nathan about giving Lucas a break. It did absolutely no good though, he wouldn't listen, or do something, unless he wanted too, and this, as he claimed was a basketball thing, was one of them.

Not to mention I was only half way done with my project, and it was due in two days. I know this was a terrible thing to be happy about, but I was glad that Hailey and Lucas weren't on the best of terms right now, and that meant that he wouldn't be in the tutor center during lunch and study hall.

But I couldn't even use that time to finish my project, instead I had to study for a European Government test.

I didn't like everyone fighting, but I soon found out that it had all started at the party. Bless the head ache fairy that visited me that night.

By far this was the longest school day I had in a while, and for once, I was actually happy about going to work.

I hadn't even turned the key of the ignition when I noticed a folded up sheet of paper underneath my windshield wiper. I hoped and prayed that it wasn't something from the multitude of people that wished to yell at me, instead, it looked like a poem.

_Every tie I see your face  
The crowd around me fades away  
I dream to dance with your flawless grace  
To see you smile in the light of day  
I hear your laugh from across the room  
And can't help but smile  
Knowing that I'll see you soon  
And be able to look upon your breath taking style  
Someday you'll know what it's like to feel love  
And I know in my heart that it will be at my hands  
But for now, I must hide behind the glove  
I hope my love, that you'll understand. _

If only this wasn't someone's idea of a joke. Then maybe I might have felt my heart skip a beat, or even get a little light headed, but I knew better. It had to be a joke right? The whole school wanted to stone me alive, so why not start at the very basis of any human being, with the heart. I couldn't help but wonder who was getting a good laugh out of this. I wanted nothing more than to throw it away, but I didn't.

Instead, the small portion that wanted to believe it was real, folded it up and put it in my bag, out of sight and out of mind. But if only it was that simple as it was said. For it was the only thing I found myself thinking about.

Keller was already there when I signed in, but I wasn't in the mood to talk to him. I just put my bag under the counter and grabbed the price labels to put on the used cds that we finally dragged out of storage.

_Thump_

Something hit the side of my head. I ignored it at first, why give him the pleasure of knowing that he was getting to me, but after three times I finally got curious to see what he was flicking at me. Cheep guitar picks out of a bowl on the counter.

"Quit it." I said, still trying to focus on my current work.

"Aw, you're no fun. So who put you in this gorgeous mood?"

"Just a bad day."

"Get a B on a test?"

"No, my friends aren't speaking to me."

"Finally found someone else worth talking to?"

"You know, I don't even know why I even try to talk to you." I slightly raised my voice and tried my best to tune him out, but it was impossible.

"Because you don't have any friends apparently."

I threw down the cds that I had been holding and grabbed my bag. I started walking to the door, mentally cursing myself for ever taking this job, when Keller jumped in front of me.

"Your shift isn't over."

"I don't care. Now move." It was an order, something I rarely did to anyone, especially someone much taller and stronger than myself. I stepped around him, but he moved with me. "I'm serious Keller, move." He still stood there, so I took matters into my own hands, literally, placing my hands on his chest and pushing him out of the way. He wasn't expecting something like that so it was easy to get him out of the way, and was forced to return to the customers that were now ready to check out.

The parking lot behind Karmez, Karen's Cafe, a small book store and the local theatre, came out to the main intersection at the center of down town Tree Hill. Then turned off in four different directions, each continuing for a few blocks.

I got into my car just as a tear started to form in my eyes. I normally wasn't this emotional, but for once, Keller was right. About the friends thing anyways. I just couldn't help but feel that they needed someone who could be there for them fully, instead of just part time. I pulled up to the stop light with just enough time to put in a mix cd and turn it all the way up.

It didn't take long for the light to turn green, but once I pulled out I found myself looking down the front of another car from my side window as it collided with my side. I could feel the door crumbling around me, and the glass cutting my face before the air bag hit me so hard that I lost consciousness. 


	5. Chapter 5

**THIRD PERSON POV **

The crash was heard from the whole street, calling everyone to come out all look. Chris and Hailey were among those that had ventured out in the street, both bolting to the scene when they recognized the car.

"Rain." Breathed the girl, not really sure on what to do and wondering why everyone was just staring and not helping.

"You're Hailey right?" The guy asked, trying to put a face with a name that his co worker had talked about on occasion, while digging for something in his pockets.

She nodded, "The red jeep in the employee parking lot, go get it!" She didn't argue and ran as quickly as she could down the empty street.

The driver of the other car, a young lady with curly blonde hair was perfectly fine and out of her car. But Chris honestly wasn't paying attention, his focus was on getting the bleeding girl out of the car since there was no sign of help on the way. He found a way in, the passenger door wasn't to badly damaged, and gently tucked his arms under her, sliding her along with him out of the car.

Once he got her out and was cradling her in his arms Hailey pulled up with his jeep, quickly jumping out and opening up the back door, helping get her in. He took back over the drivers seat and didn't question when she climbed in with him.

The hospital was right on the edge of town, not a far drive, but when something this tragic happens, time seems to extend itself against the unwilling participants.

"You might want to call her parents." He said as calmly as he could, not having any idea what else what to do.

But the crying girl didn't have a cell phone so he quickly handed her his own.

"Hello Mrs. Riddle?"

"Yes this is Hailey."

"I'm fine, but please, you need to get to Tree Hill Hospital."

"I'm fine, but Rain isn't."

He could hear a loud wail on the other end and a mans voice even though the phone was no where near him.

"There was a car accident."

"No, we're taking her to the hospital, she's unconscious and bleeding."

"Yes sir. Ok Sir."

She flipped shut the phone and handed it back to him, brushing a few tears from her eyes.

"They're going to be here in a few minutes." She said as they pulled into the emergency lane.

"Go in and tell them what happened, I'll bring her in." He instructed her, not even bothering to take his keys once he shut off the engine.

The brunette ran inside as he was careful to pick her back up. He had her half way in the hospital when they were met with a team of paramedics with a rolling stretcher, and quickly took her from him and started rolling her down the hall, making sure neither of them followed and instructed them to wait in the waiting room.

No more than five long minutes passed before a hysterically Mrs. Riddle ran into the hospital, followed quickly by her husband.

The nurse at the desk wasn't able to tell them anything considering she only just went into the ER, and their only means of getting information was from the two young people sitting in the waiting room.

"Hailey, what happened to my baby?" Asked Mrs. Riddle, taking a seat next to the crying girl and hugging her.

"I don't know, I didn't see anything. I just heard the crash." She replied quietly.

"I did." The guy spoke up, earning a look from both parents that didn't seem to understand. "Chris Keller, I work with her. She was upset and left work early, and some idiot ran a red light."

"So you're the one who brought her here?" Asked Mr. Riddle, the boy nodded. "Thank you son."

"Don't mention it." And he really meant it.

Deep down, though he would never tell anyone this later, he felt as though it was his fault. He could have stopped her from getting in the car, or at least tried to talk to her so that she could have calmed down. Maybe then this whole thing could have been avoided.

Hours passed, and this time no one was exaggerating. Doctors came and went through the light blue double doors that they took Rain through, but none of them were hers and none could tell them what was going on.

Finally a young Asian doctor came out and approached the small group of people, by this time it was well past dinner time.

"Mr. and Mrs. Riddle?" He asked as they stood up.

"Yes, how is our daughter?"

"She's doing fine, we had to stitch up a few cuts on her torso from the glass, and she has a minor concussion and one massive head ache. But the worst of it was a break in her left arm, three places. We put a cast on and other than the expected pain, there wasn't anything else. No internal bleeding, or anything that should cause permanent damage. She's sleeping right now if you want to see her." He explained as a wave of relief swept over the group.

Only her parents were allowed in their first, un aware of the amount of pain that their daughter was in even though she was fast asleep, and then her friends were. Hailey was polite enough to wait until after the game to call Lucas and get him to pass the message onto Nathan, but he never showed.

They were informed that she would have to spend the night in the hospital, as well as the next few days to watch for infection from the cuts on her shoulder and chest. No one objected, and was purely intent on just seeing the sleeping girl.


	6. Chapter 6

Still Third Person's POV

She was so peaceful, if it wasn't for the IV needles and monitors around her, no one could ever have guessed that she would have been in pain. She looked like a perfect angel laying in the bed.

Her hair wasn't even messed up that badly, the band that she had held it up with from work had been taken out, but it was still clean, still smooth. Her left arm was crossed over her lap, wrapped in a white cast that ran from her thumb to an inch or two from her elbow.

The stitches weren't visible from where everyone was standing, the cuts were all on her chest and shoulder, both of which weren't visible. There were three total, one just below her collar bone, and two on the top of her shoulder. None of them were that bad but all three required stitches.

The doctors said that she would be up in a few hours because they gave her a strong dose of pain killers that put her to sleep.

Harper, Lily and Leo had all visited earlier, but all had to go back home early due to school tomorrow. Her parent's, well her mother mostly, didn't want to leave and stayed in one of the chairs right next to her bed, determined to wait until she woke.

Her father however was talking with the doctors and settling the bills, mostly just to do something until she woke up. Hailey tried calling Nathan again, and this time he answered.

"Yeah?" He sounded annoyed, due to the fact that she had called no less than a dozen times.

"Nathan Ray is in the hospital."

"Yeah I know, I got your voicemails."

"Why aren't you here? They said she's going to wake up any time, she'd want you to be here."

"No she wouldn't, I'm the last person that she wants to see."

"You're her best friend."

"The best friend that told her she was a lousy friend all because she had to work instead of come to the game. I can't face her now."

"She'll forgive you. It was a stupid argument, everyone has them, just please come she here."

"I'm sorry Hailey, I just can't. Bye."

She opened her mouth to argue, even to call him back, but he turned off his phone. Why, she wondered, did guys always have to make things bigger than they actually where?

She went back into the room where the only thing moving was Rains chest, breathing deeply, peacefully. She walked over to the chairs next to the window and handed Chris back his cell phone.

"Is he coming?"

She shook her head, and he, as well as everyone else, was at a loss to why her best friend didn't want to be there for her. He wasn't even her friend and he wasn't leaving until she woke up, but then again, he had his own reasons for that.

"So he doesn't care?"

"No, he cares, he's just not telling me the whole truth." Thinking back to the fact that it was game night, and usually that meant, a certain type of celebration.

"She doesn't deserve a friend like that." He grumbled, staring out the window, and at her reflection in the dark glass.

"No offense, but why do you care? I'm not saying this to be rude, but you guys weren't close at all, why are you still here?"

He chuckled slightly, "It's complicated."

"It can't be that bad."

Truth was, it wasn't, it was just his business and he wasn't ready to tell the world.

"You care for her don't you?" It was more of a statement than a question; Hailey was good at reading people.

He didn't answer, just continued staring out the window, now avoiding her gaze and ran a hand through his already messy hair.

"I won't tell her, you don't have to worry about that."

He laughed this time, she really thought she was something.

"It doesn't matter Hailey, we've got history, bad history, I don't want to make things worse for her."

"You should tell her. She needs to know."

"She still hates me doesn't she?"

Hailey shrugged. "She's a hard person to read, she's good at hiding her true intentions. But she respects honesty. Just keep that in mind."

A gasp from the sleeping girl's mother took them both away from their conversation and focused them on Rain.


	7. Chapter 7

Rains POV

I wasn't sure what was going on, I wasn't even sure where I was. My throat was parched and my eyes were itchy, not to mention a massive pain in my forearm, chest, shoulder and an intensive throbbing in my head.

"What's going on?" I asked, more to myself than anyone else.

"Mom?" She had my right hand in a vice grip, staring at it.

"Oh my goodness!" She gasped, throwing her arms around me.

"oww! mom! pain!" Was all I managed to choke out.

"Oh honey I'm so sorry."

"Mom what happened?"

"Well, I think your friends can explain better than I can." She said, pointing over to where Hailey and a very unlikely person stood. "I'm going to go get your father."

My mom got up and left after kissing my forehead, letting Hailey and Keller take the seats next to my bed.

"How are you feeling?" Asked Hailey gently.

"Like I was run over. What happened?"

"You were in a car accident." Said Keller.

"What?"

"You can't remember?" Asked Hailey.

"I remember running out of Karmezs crying, and getting in my car, but after that, nothing."

"Someone ran a red light, it's a miracle you're alive form the looks of your car." Explained Keller. Hailey however went on to explain how I actually got to the hospital.

"You actually helped me?" I asked him disbelievingly.

"I told you Riddle, I have a heart."

"Why are you still here then?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm curious about this as well." Chimed in Hailey.

"Just wanted to make sure you weren't dead. I don't want to be stuck with all the work you know." I could see Hailey step on his foot, but just figured it was something else, he was his usual self, why on earth did I even begin to hope it was something else.

The nurse came in with my parents and announced that visiting hours where over, so the had to leave me alone in pain and in the dark.

Even through all that had happened, I was only thinking about two things, well three if you count my poor car. Why on earth Keller had stayed there for hours after bringing me to the hospital, and that stupid note I got on my car.

Keller was a character, an interesting one at that. I always wanted to know why ever since second grade, well fourth for him, why he hated me. I had tried to ask him about it before, but all I got was a smirk and a shrug. Or even the infamous answer, 'because it's funny.'

I wasn't really that sleepy, tired defiantly, but my mind didn't want to turn off for the night. It kept going over everything, every fight I had, and the first that came to me was Nathan.

I couldn't help but wonder if he even knew about everything, and if he did why wasn't he here? I felt like crying for some reason, just not having the one person I could always count out, not there to talk to hurt.

The fact that I almost could have died didn't phase me oddly. I really only worried about my car, and prayed that insurance would cover it to be fixed again.

Three days later I as finally released from the hospital with a get well teddy bear that no one told me who it was from.

They even made me use a wheel chair to go out to my dads car even though absolutely nothing was wrong with my legs.

It was only seven in the morning, and what better way to spend a day then to insist that I could go to school. I had been bored out of my mind watching soaps in the hospital and at least at school something would be going on.

It was an argument that lasted almost half an hour before my father finally agreed, stopping by the house only to get my book bag, and made me swear that if I felt dizzy or anything to call home immediately.

I got there just in time for home room, earning a few extra new looks from people that didn't even know me. Peyton couldn't even look me in the eye when I walked past her in the hall. I understood why. It was her that hit me, accidentally running the red light. It was an accident, I guess she suspected me to hate her or something, but that wasn't the case.

Home room, Nathan wasn't even paying attention until I tapped his desk with my right hand.

"Rain, why are you in school?"

"You really need to quit having these death wishes against me, other wise one day it's going to come true."

He didn't say anything, just stood up and hugged me.

"Why didn't you come see me?" I asked, hugging him with my good arm.

"I'll explain later, I don't want you anywhere near weapons when I tell you."

I didn't get a chance to say anything; Whitey came into class and ordered everyone to sit down.

"Glad to see you could join us Miss Riddle."

"What can I say couch, I missed your smiling face." Sarcasm was great.

I was excused for gym for six weeks, well four considering winter break was coming up, so all I could do during class, so I just sat there on the bleachers, watching everyone, at least until Nathan came over to join me.

"So, you were going to explain why you were too busy to visit your best friend in the hospital. And don't dare say you didn't know, Hailey called you."

"Ray, you have to understand that I was pissed at myself for talking to you like that a few days ago, I was too ashamed to come and see you. But I was busy."

"Doing what?"

"It was a game, we won, so Peyton and I went back to my place, and celebrated."

"Was this before or after Hailey called you."

"After."

I didn't answer, but stared at my knees.

"Ray, please say something."

"I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? Sorry for what?"

"I'm sorry that I thought that there must have been something life threatening for you not to care that I was in the hospital. I'm sorry that I thought for one second that your best friend mattered more than a fling. I'm sorry that Keller was there when my best friend wasn't."

"Keller was there?"

"Yeah, he's the one that took me to the hospital, and he stayed there until I woke up."

"Well at least I'm not the only one with a hidden agenda."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"I knew there was something going on between you two. How many times have I told you he's an ass and to stay away from him."

"Nathan Scott I cannot believe those words just came out of your mouth."

"What? You two spend an awful lot of time together, you're in not position to preach to me about ditching friends to spend time with no one more than a play toy."

"I can't believe it. Nathan you're more like your brother than you'll admit."

I left early, ignoring his shouting at me. I had to take my pain pills, the sharp intense ripping feeling in my arm and shoulder was the only reminder I had.


	8. Chapter 8

So far my day back had been great. At least Hailey was still talking to me, and promised lunch in the tutor center so I wouldn't have to fight the crowd. Maybe I should have listened to everyone when they warned me about becoming friends with Nathan, that he really wasn't as nice as he seemed. And somehow I just couldn't see past this fight and everything turning out ok.

My father and mother were dead set against me working for the next few weeks, but I had to refuse their requests. I needed the money and I didn't want to waste my time doing absolutely nothing around the house.

Plus work was one sure way to ignore Nathan's phone calls. He left messages, some were of him yelling at me for saying that crack about him and his brother, and others were just flat out pointing out that he was right about everything. He was being full of himself and I didn't want anything to do with him.

Hailey had promised to talk to him, and could only talk to me after school if I promised to come by the Cafe, during school we both had to avoid our egotistical best friends.

I was had an extension on my English project, but still haven't even continued with what I had finished before. But the only thing I was really worried about was my car. Peyton offered to pay for it, since it was her fault, and I gladly accepted. She really wasn't that bad and seemed genuinely sorry that it was me that she had run into and that she helped Nathan avoid me.

"Hey Ray!"

It was raining so I was forced to eat lunch, well read, in the crowded cafeteria. I ignored whoever was calling my name, and wasn't in the mood to argue with ignorant people.

"Ray." I glanced up when the person sat down and was relieved to see that it was Jake.

"Hey." I said, shutting my book.

"I heard about the accident. Really sorry."

"Thanks, but hey, no gym so it does have a plus side."

"Yeah, I'm also sorry about the whole thing with Nathan the other day."

"Did everyone hear that?"

"Yeah, that and Nathan keeps grumbling during practice about you being a hypocrite and sleeping around yourself."

My heart sank and I felt my face redden.

"That's not-"

"I know it's not true, I know you better than that Ray."

"So that's why everyone has been looking at me funny."

"Yeah, Tim's got his hopes up again. He's been asking Nathan for your number."

"Please don't tell me he gave it to him."

"Nope, but I'm not going to repeat what he said, I don't think you need to hear that."

"Thanks Jake."

He nodded in response, popping a French fry in his mouth from his tray.

"Just curious, but why aren't you sitting with the basketball team?"

"You looked like you needed a friend. So I figured, we haven't talked in a while, so what better time to start."

I smiled and thanked him again. Jake was always a sweet guy, we were friends, not the best of, but we did talk on occasion.

He talked with me during lunch, told me what all Nathan was saying and comforted me by giving me advice to just ignore him, that he was mad and that he would cool down after the game this Friday. But I found it hard to believe him, Nate never took our fights this far, let alone start labeling me for the whole school.

After lunch he even offered to walk me to class since we had English together.

"So you finally moved on to another basketball team member?" Asked Lucas from his seat in the front.

"What are you talking about?" Unfortunately I only sat one desk across from him.

"First Nathan, then Tim, now Jake." I wanted so badly to scream at him, but Jake put a hand on my shoulder to prevent me from saying anything. After taking a few deep breaths I realized that it would only make matters worse. Jake promised to try and talk to Nathan again before practice tonight, but I doubt it would have done any good.

No one else made any remarks for the rest of the day, I didn't have to threaten them, or argue with them, they just didn't seem ready to make a public mockery of me yet.

School let out at 2:45 and my shift started at 3, with no car it was going to be impossible to be on time. I had a hard time keeping my bag balanced on my right shoulder, I always had carried it on the left and since there were stitches, I couldn't risk tearing them.

It would take me at least half an hour to walk all the way to work, but I scanned the parking lot hopefully that I could see one of my friends with a car, but my hopes weren't answered.

It was raining slightly once I got off the campus, just my luck. This whole week seemed as though it was never going to end, all the terrible thing just seemed to not want to stop finding me. What did I ever do?

I was only ten minute into my walk when I heard a beep from behind me. At first I didn't turn around and kept walking, no way to know for sure if they were beeping at me, until they beeped again.

This time I turned around and stopped walking, I recognized the blood red jeep.

The window rolled down quickly as Keller stuck his head out.

"Come on, I'll give you a lift."

I hesitated for a second, but what could be worse than a five minute drive with the guy that took me to the hospital. I quickly walked around the front of his car and climbed in the front seat.

"Thanks." I said, buckling my seat belt.

"No problem, can't have you getting sick, then I'd have to cover your shift as well."

"Two seconds."

"Huh?"

"For two seconds you were nice, then you went back to being cocky."

"Seven hours."

"What?"

"For seven hours I was nice to you, on Monday."

"I wasn't awake so that doesn't count."

"Of course it does, I didn't have to be there."

"Then tell me why you were, and don't give me a smart ass answer either."

"And ruin the fun of knowing something you don't, I don't think so."

"Is it really that big of a secret?" I was getting my hopes up way too high now.

"Maybe. But why do you want to know."

"You answer my question first."

"That's not how it works in my world."

"Well we're not in your world we're in reality."

"Oh look, we're here." He said, in attempts to change the subject as we pulled into the parking lot. By now it was pouring down, I pulled my overly large sweat shirt, the only one that would fit over my cast, over my head before opening the door. I cradled my arm against my stomach as I started to run for the front entrance.

Keller beat me there my only a few seconds and was relieving the middle aged man that ran the morning shift, who couldn't have gotten out of their quicker.

I peeled the sweatshirt off and placed it on the rack along with Keller's coat, it was soaking wet along with my hair.

I punched in my employee number and started my time card, another day, another boring job.

Keller made me work the cash register, although why I had no idea. We had no more than six people come in, probably due to the weather, and only four actually bought something. That was all only in the first two hours, and by that time, it was almost 5. Hailey said that was the best time to come by the coffee shop.

"Hey Keller, I'm going on break, be back in fifteen." I yelled into the office, grabbing my now dry hoodie and slipping it on.

"We're not allowed to take breaks Ray!"

"This is important. I'll be back in fifteen I promise." Wait, it just caught up with me. He didn't call me by my sur name. I opened back up the office door and placed my hand on his forehead.

"What are you doing?" He snapped, jerking away as soon as our skin made contact.

"Are you sick?"

"What?"

"You didn't call me Riddle, just wondering if you were sick."

"No, now go take your break before we get a sudden swarm of customers."

"Fine." I left the door cracked behind me so he could hear the bell ring if anyone actually came in. "Talk about zero to pissed in less than five seconds." I mumbled to myself, staying close to the buildings as I made my way down two shops to where Hailey worked.

"Hey!" She greeted with a coffee pot in her hand, "Just take a seat at the bar and I'll be with you in a minute." She took care of the only other two people in the place before coming over and placing her elbows on the side of the bar opposite me.

"So, rough day?" I nodded as she pulled out two coffee mugs. "On the house."

"Thanks."

"So, you finally find out what Nathan's been saying?"

"Yeah, how did you know?" I asked, puzzled as to why she didn't tell me earlier.

"I just found out a little while ago, Lucas told me."

"You guys better now?"

"Some what, he's still mad but he's just gong to have to get over it. Things are just a mess right now but we're talking."

"At least he isn't spreading rumors about you." I huffed, taking a long sip of the hot liquid.

"I know he doesn't mean it. He's just jealous that you spend so much time working and not that much hanging out any more."

"And you know this how?"

"He told me last night while we were studying."

"So you're tutoring him now?"

"Yeah, on the condition he lightens up on Lucas."

"Is he listening to you?"

"Not sure, it's only been two days."

"Hailey, I have a question and I want the truth."

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Why was Keller really there Monday?"

She didn't answer at first, instead found a great interest in swirling the ring on her pinky.

"Hales, please."

"Ray, it's not my place to tell you why, and I'm sure that you're going to find out soon enough."

"That doesn't help me."

"It should. You really need to start hanging out with more girls."

"What can I say? Too moody and testosterone is much easier to deal with."

"Game tomorrow, you going to come?"

"Maybe, I have to go to the doctors after school to check up and see when I can get these stitches out, if I get out early though maybe, I don't have to work."

"If you decide to let me know and I'll save you a seat."

"Ok, but I have to go, I said I'd be back sooner than I realized." I thanked her for the coffee and pulled my hood back over my head.

"Hey Ray!" I froze with the door half open. "Just be open minded, ok?" I had no idea what she meant but decided not to question it.

The store was just as dead when I returned as it was when I had left, and I was just as wet as when we had first gotten here. I hung up my coat and took a seat at the check out counter, only after pulling the note I got at the beginning of the week and reading it again.

I wanted so badly for it to be a true note, not just some joke that someone thought was funny. But who could have done this? Everyone knows what kind of car I drive, I bragged about it enough last year when I got it, so that didn't narrow it down.

I wasn't paying much attention to the note lingering in my hand when it was snatched away.

"Whatcha reading? Aww, a love note."

"Give it back Keller."

"Is this from your boyfriend?"

"I don't know who it's from."

"Aww, you're getting secret letters from a lover."

"It's not from a lover, it's probably just a joke."

"Sounds like whoever wrote it has a hard on for you."

"Keller that's not right!"

"Ok, let me put this in girls terms, sounds like he really likes you."

"And you would know this how?"

"I'm a guy, I know these things."

"Yeah, whatever." I snatched it back and shoved it in my back pocket.

"You working tomorrow?" Talk about random.

"No, I got a doctors appointment and then later Hailey and I might hang out."

"Going to Steroid boys game?"

"Maybe."

"He ever come to see you?"

"Nope, we're still not talking."

"Trouble in paradise?"

"Yeah, and it starts and ends with you."

"What are you talking about, I had nothing to do with it."

"It's complicated, and I don't feel like explaining it."

He leaned on the counter and folded his arms, looking more bored than ever.

"Come on, I'm out of high school, I haven't heard any good drama in a while."

I bit the inside of my lip, part of me wanted to tell him just to see what his reaction would be, but the other half didn't want to put up with the smart ass comment that was bound to come out of his mouth. But when he would stop staring at me I reluctantly decided to give in.

"Alright. Nathan just thinks that I'm a hypocrite because I always get onto him about sleeping around and he thinks I'm doing the same thing behind his back."

The arrogant smirk was placed back on his face. "So he thinks you and I have a thing going on behind his back?"

"Exactly."

"Hate to break it to you Riddle, but you aren't that lucky."

I scoffed, "hate to break it to you Keller, but I don't like little girls like that."

"Hey, at least I never had rumors about me being a slut going around the whole school."

"Rumors can't be considered what is true."

"I can't help it that I was popular with the girls."

I held up my hands, this conversation was taking a turn way past un comfortable. "That's it, I'm changing the subject. How about you leave me alone, and I'll pretend for the rest of the day that you're not here."

"Riddle, that hurts." He said placing a hand on his heart.

"I can't hurt what isn't there." So I half meant what I said, but he didn't retaliate. Instead he just glared at me for a split second and disappeared back into the office, leaving me alone in the empty store.


	9. Chapter 9

No other customers came in for the rest of the night, and it wasn't surprising. Who in their right mind would venture to the far end of main street just to buy a cd in such terrible weather? Keller didn't come out of the office since I made the comment to him, and I couldn't help but wonder if I had actually hurt his feelings.

Great, now I was feeling sorry for a guy who had done nothing but pick on me from the first time he met me. I guess a part of me always wondered why he always had to get the last word in when we argued, or had to rub everything he did in my face. My parents said it was a phase that little boys went through when they had a crush on a girl, but that was back in elementary school. Now everyone just thinks some day we're going to end up killing each other.

About an hour before our shift ended, Leo called to inform me that he could no longer pick me up from work.

"But why? Mom and dad left around lunch time to go out of town, I don't know anyone else with a car." I argued, wishing nothing more than to kick my brother.

"I told you, some friends of mine are having a party and I can't afford to miss it."

"Just pick me up before you leave."

"I can't. I'm already here."

"Leo where is here?"

"Rocky Mount Virginia."

"Leo!"

"Listen Rain, I'm sorry, but just call Nathan to pick you up, I'm sure he'll do it, but I really have to go."

My mouth was open and I was ready to argue, but the line went dead, my brother had hung up on me. I slammed the store phone back down on it's hook and rubbed my hands over my face letting out a groan that was much louder than I expected it to be. I wasn't about to suck up my pride and go crawling to Nathan for a simple ride home, I'd rather risk dying from pneumonia and walk.

I glanced outside really not wanting to take my wish seriously, it was already dark and the storm was just getting worse. End of summer, beginning of fall, that was what the weather was like around here for the months of August and September. It was raining so hard that I couldn't even see the Television and Electronic Repair shop across the street.

"Who are you screaming at?" I hadn't noticed that the office door had opened and that Keller was now leaning against the door frame.

"My brother, he's in Virginia and can't come pick me up from work."

He didn't answer, just shrugged and made his way back into the store room. I banged my head against the counter, knowing full well that I was going to regret what I was about too do. I dug my cell phone out of my book bag with my good arm and dialed Nathan's number.

Six rings later there was no answer. I hadn't really expected him to pick up, but I left a voice mail anyways. I hoped that even though we weren't on speaking terms that he would at least take my health into consideration.

"Hey Nathan, it's Rain, I know you're mad at me right now, I'm still mad at you too, but I'm in a bind and really need a ride home from work. I would really appreciate it if you could pick me up, maybe we could talk. Thanks, bye." Click, I flipped my phone shut and tossed it on the counter roughly and it tumbled to the floor.

I got up and picked up the nearly broken phone and decided to do the impossible. I knew Nathan was probably with Peyton and wasn't expecting him to actually come and get me, so I only had one other option left. I could hear Keller humming in the store room and made my way back there to try and be civil with him.

"Shouldn't you be at the register?" He asked without looking up from the boxes he was opening.

"No one is here, and no one is going to be here." I waited, praying that I wasn't going to regret asking him. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier." At first I wasn't sure if he had heard me because I could barely hear what I was saying.

"Then why did you say it?"

"I don't know. Habit, instinct, who knows."

"So what do you want?"

"What makes you think I want something?"

"You wouldn't be apologizing unless you wanted something."

I absentmindedly started rubbing my index finger along the line where my cast met with my skin around the base of my fingers. "I was just wondering if you could give me a ride home?"

"What makes you think I would want to do that?"

"Because in case you forgot, my car is totaled, my ass of a brother is at a party, my parents are out of town and my best friend thinks I'm a slut."

"So I'm your last choice?"

"Of course, we aren't really close, I wouldn't want to bother you with things like that unless I absolutely have too."

"Hmm, I think it would be fun to watch you walk home in the rain."

"That's almost twelve miles! It's suicide going out in this storm."

"Not really my problem now is it?"

"What is with you? Earlier today you where nice, then you where back to your old self. I just don't get you Keller. Why can't you just pick one way to treat me and stick with it?"

"Because it's not that simple."

"And what the heck is that supposed to mean?"

"What do you think it means Riddle?"

"I don't know that's why I was asking you." I folded my arms across my chest and leaned against the shelves a few feet from where he was stacking cds.

"I thought Hailey would have told you by now."

"Told me what?"

He smirked at me again, enjoying the fact that he knew something I didn't.

"I'm getting annoyed with being confused by you all the time, so either tell me what's going on or quit playing mind games."

Even though the store room was dimly lit compared to the rest of the store I could tell he was finding my being uncomfortable amusing. His shoulders shook slightly as if he was trying to fight back laughter, but I couldn't see what was so funny.

"But why tell you when showing you could be so much more fun?" He asked, placing the last of the cds on the shelve and turning to face me.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I inquired as he took a step closer. His height never seemed so intimidating before, but I could always just blame the lighting for it. He circled around me so that my back was now against the shelves and he was standing directly in front of me.

His hands moved to the sides of my face as I found that I couldn't back up anymore without going through the small wooden planks. His palms where warm despite the cold atmosphere that the storage room always held, but as his face got closer to mine, my heart beat began to quicken so much that I could hear it in my ears.

"Keller what are-" But I never got a chance to ask my question. Within seconds of the first word, his mouth came in contact with mine. At first I was shocked, my eyes bulged for a second before relaxing and closing, but I found myself holding onto his waste with my hand that wasn't covered in a cast while he used his own to slip around my waste and into my back jeans pocket to pull me closer and deepen the kiss.


	10. Chapter 10

"Get the hell off her!" Was the only thing I heard before he was being ripped away from me and thrown to the ground.

Nathan was picking him up by his shirt and pulling back his fist.

"Nathan no!" I yelled, grabbing his arm and preventing him from swinging it.

He didn't answer, just slung my co worker back to the ground and stormed out of the room. I took a quick glance at Keller who was rubbing the back of his neck before running after Nathan.

"Hey wait!" I called just as he got to the door.

"What is going on Rain?" He asked in a raised voice. "I thought you said that there was nothing going on between you two? I came here to apologize and take you home, but I guess I was wrong."

"Nate there wasn't, isn't. I don't know! That just happened, but please, can't we just talk?"

"I'm sorry Rain, but I really have to go." He let the door slam behind him, but I didn't bother going after him. I found Keller still on the floor with more than a bruised ego.

"You ok?" I asked, kneeling down beside him.

"Yeah, I've had worse done to me by him before."

"Listen, why did you, um, well, you know." I fumbled with my fingers as we both rose to our feet. There was a new awkward that filled the air and I wanted to know why.

"If you don't get what I was trying to say then I don't know how else I can get you to understand." He didn't look at me as he left the store room, shutting the door behind him. I quickly followed, raising my voice slightly.

"Fine whatever, can you just take me home?" If he was going to act like this was a game, then so was I.

He didn't answer as he continued to lock up the store and put papers away, what nerve. I grabbed my bag out from behind the counter and took out my pills bottle, not just because of the pain from my shoulder and arm, but I hoped beyond hope that it would prevent a headache from forming behind my eyes.

I popped them into my mouth and swallowed them without a need for a drink.

"Are you planning to OD?" He asked as I swallowed the last one before putting the container back into my bag.

"And give you the pleasure to celebrate my painful death, ha, not today."

"Good, I wouldn't want to have to answer all the police's questions about why you where a depressed loner high school student."

"Who just happened to be sexually harassed by her co worker." He stopped dead in his tracks as my last words reached his ears.

"It's not considered harassment if the other participant is willing in the events." He smirked again, how I wished that I could wipe it right off his face.

"I bet Mr. Karmez wouldn't see it that way."

"What do you want?"

"Simple, all I want is a ride home. It isn't that hard, and I don't have to file a complaint against you."

"All this over a simple kiss? I hate to imagine the poor guy who has to marry you and how your wedding night is going to be. You might bash his skull in with the lamp or something."

"That would be different."

"Whatever, lets just go before it floods." He didn't wait for me to grab my bag before heading out the door and making his way back to the parking lot. Not that I expected him too, but things where just getting weird between us and this wasn't making them any easier.

The drive to my house was silent; he knew where I lived so I didn't need to give him directions. But the reason he did was because of a cruel prank he and his friends played on me at the end of last year. Since they where seniors and I was only a sophomore, he got one of them to ask me to the prom, a guy who I thought was decent and kind. Come that night, I got all dressed up; make up done, hair fixed, and even borrowed one of Harpers dresses. He had asked me to wait on the front porch and he'd pick me up there, so I did as he requested. At the second that he was supposed to be at my house, a car, Kellers jeep, pulled up and they all climbed out, throwing water balloons at what they called a 'freak'.

I had immediately called Nathan, who dropped in at the prom with some of his friends and took Keller and his gang swimming before hanging them out to dry in the gym. No one found them until almost midnight.

I didn't care at the moment what went on between Keller and myself, all I wanted was to fix what happened between me and my best friend. That was worth more to me than the egotistical musician.

"Get out." He ordered, barely pulling to a stop in front of my house. I didn't argue or look back as I climbed out, letting him speed off into the swampy streets.

If only he would get into a car crash… But he did help me when Peyton hit me. No idea why. I mean he's a class A asshole one minute and is suddenly concerned with my life the next. I guess guys really are moodier than girls on their cycle.

Harper and Lily where already in their room by the time I was finished feeding my pets and myself for that matter, so my wish of slamming doors and causing a fuss wasn't going to be part of this specific nights routine.


End file.
